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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. dip — to sink
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. wake — a trail
  6. swing — music
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. object — a thing
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. lie — to recline
  11. swing — to play on
  12. sharp — clever
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. object — an aim
  15. mark — a trace
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. mark — a grade
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. swing — in golf
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. stand — to bear

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com